"Gamal Abd al-Nasser (1918-1970) was dubbed the 'first Egyptian to rule Egypt since Cleopatra.' Deposing the corrupt king Farouk, Nasser abolished the monarchy, negotiated the withdrawal of the British, and was truly beloved by millions. A beacon for aspirants of decolonization, his era is renowned for its achievements in education, economic modernization, the arts, and social justice." "In this profile, Joel Gordon reaches beyond historical narrative to assess the meaning of the man and the era. Careful to include his limitations as well as his many strengths, this volume asks why Nasser's promised political liberalization never occurred, and covers the numerous military and political setbacks to Arab socialism. A perfect resource for the expert or the merely intrigued, this balanced account is the only modern biography of perhaps the most influential man in contemporary Islamic history."--Jacket.
